Cervical cancer self-screening project aims to reach people in deprived areas

The University of Aberdeen has been awarded £1.3million of funding for a project to understand the barriers of screening for cervical cancer and encourage women in deprived areas to take part in self-testing.

The Cancer Research UK-funded initiative will be led by researchers at the university to find new ways of reaching women least likely to engage with cervical screenings and are at greater risk of dying from the preventable cancer.

Cervical cancer is a largely preventable cancer and since 2008 girls aged 11-13 have been eligible for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

The vaccine protects against around 90% of cervical cancers, with boys eligible for the vaccine, which can also protect boys from other HPV related cancers such as mouth and throat cancers, since 2019.

Cervical screenings are a vital way of helping prevent the disease, particularly in those who didn't receive the vaccination in childhood.

However, cervical screening is still important for all those eligible to detect pre-cancerous cells and enable treatment before they develop further.

Public Health Scotland data shows women in the most deprived areas of Scotland are twice as likely as those in more affluent areas to develop the disease and three times more likely to die from it.

Many of these women do not engage with the screening.

The project, called 'AYEScreen' will explore the reasons why they don't engage including lack of time or childcare, to fear, embarrassment or cultural and social barriers.

The trial involves women being provided with self-sampling kits which allows a test to be carried out at a time and place of their choice, without the need for a medical professional.

It is hoped AYEScreen will provide the much-needed evidence base to inform future government policy and implement a nation-wide roll out of self-sampling alongside the current programme.

Dr Sharon Hanley, a cancer epidemiologist at the University of Aberdeen, will be leading the project.

She said: “Cervical cancer is different from many cancers in that it can be detected and treated in the pre-cancerous stage. This is why getting screened regularly is so important. However, since the screening programme targets healthy individuals, many women may not feel the need to attend or for what might be an embarrassing or uncomfortable test.

“In recent years the test has changed. In the past it was necessary to take samples from a specific part of the cervix to look for abnormal cells, now we look for the virus that causes these abnormal cells and the virus can be found in vaginal samples. This makes self-sampling possible. However, more research is needed on the best way to offer self-sampling.

“We would also like to include trans-men in the study as they are historically underserved and might be more willing to participate in self-sampling than attend for a test by a medical professional.”

The project will assess the effectiveness and cost efficiency of three different methods to reach under-screened women in GP practices with the highest proportion of patients from deprives areas as well as those living in remote and rural areas.

Three different methods will be trialled in the project. The first includes women who are attending GP practices for another reason given a self-screening kit.

The second will trial a text service offering women the self-sampling option which will be returned by post and the third, a nurse will call women to understand barriers to screening and offer the option of self-sampling.

“AYEScreen is about empowering those most marginalised in society to make informed choices, including those who could face discrimination and are disproportionately disadvantaged, and help protect them from a highly preventable cancer,” Dr Hanley added.

Hear all the latest news from the North East of Scotland on Northsound 1. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.